NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Lipscomb Lady Bisons golf team starts off the spring schedule Friday with a match against Tennessee State University.

The match will begin around 1 p.m. at McCabe Golf Course.

“There is nothing like playing in a tournament setting,” Lady Bisons coach Buddy Harston said. “This is a match with one team, but it is still a tournament round. Both teams can play in town and that is nice.”

Harston thinks the McCabe course will provide a good challenge for his golfers in their first test of the spring.

“The fairways are really good,” Harston said. “They rebuilt their greens two or three summers ago. It is not very long, but it is a nice golf course.”

There are no seniors on the team this season. Savanna Schubert, a junior from Oak Ridge, Tenn., is rated No. 1 on the team.

“I expect Savanna to play well,” Harston said. “She just has to work hard.

“She has a great golf swing. She has a great short game and a great putting stroke.”

Harston has liked what he has seen from all of his players in workouts and tournaments since the fall. But he is really interested in watching freshman Miriam Parker, from Jackson, Miss., in her first spring match.

“Miriam has really improved in the past month,” Harston said. “She was a rookie and she was a little nervous in the fall, but she has a semester under her belt now. You can tell she feels more comfortable.

“I really like her swing. She moves through the ball really well. She is a good putter and chipper. You can tell she worked hard during the Christmas break.”

Harston also expects Samantha Khan, a sophomore from Saint Peters, Mo., to continue to elevate her level of play this spring.

“She has made the biggest improvement on the team in stroke average,” Harston said. Last year it was an 86. Now it is down to 82.”

Harston credits the use of Nashville Golf and Athletic Club with helping his players make improvements. Plans have been made for a new short game facility to be built at the club. But Harston was able to use a green they already have on site to do a lot of work with his players on their putting and short game.

“We have been able to chip to that green and work on their bunker shots,” Harston said. “You have to do that. The short game is so important.”